Spiffy:

Iffy:

Could become "just another platformer"; Tak is still pretty goofy looking.

I'm going to hate myself for starting off this preview like this, but I have to. I mean, it's right there, waiting to be said ... Tak is back. Get it?! It's funny because it rhymes. "Clever" wordplay aside, Tak, the ugly little guy with the power of Juju magic, has indeed returned.

This time around, Tak is a bit more grown-up than he was in the first game. He's no longer the unlikely hero fighting against the odds. His first adventure has toughened him up, and he's more mature looking now (although he still wears way too much eye shadow). And, if you thought that Tak was a bit too chatty before, you needn't worry. He's learned that you don't have to be constantly cracking wise in order to be appreciated.

Tak's holding an ugly stick. As you can see, he's already beaten himself with it.

Tak's nemesis, Tlaloc, has returned armed with the fearful Nightmare Scepter; ready to take revenge after his defeat in the first game. The game is split between the "real" world and the dream realm, where Tak uses his new Dream Shaker weapon to seal dream rifts. Although the dream world is peaceful and pleasant at the beginning of the game, it gradually becomes darker and more foreboding as the Nightmare Scepter begins to take effect.

When Animals Attack

Young Tak isn't alone in this battle, however. His faithful flea friend, Jibolba, provides assistance by attacking from a distance. The game shifts to a first-person view when you aim the little bugger, and after you launch him, you can steer him on his way. Since Jibolba's a flea, you'll want to aim him at the various animals that inhabit Tak's world. This allows you to interact with the fauna to solve puzzles that are required to traverse through the levels. Jibolba has different effects (sleep inducing, angering, attacking, etc.) on different animals, so plenty of experimentation is required.

There are seven new animals that Tak can interact with: squirrels, bears, alligators, beavers, skunks, bees, and boars. One puzzle involves attacking a skunk, making it spray Tak in self-defense. Our newly stinky hero can then approach the normally aggressive bears and make them run away (after all, bears may do certain things in the woods, but even they don't like smelling like skunk). The fleeing bear then gets distracted by a beehive, causing him to fall down on his back to eat the honey that drips out of the hive. As he eats, his stomach grows, quickly turning into a makeshift trampoline that Tak can then use to reach a high ledge. A bit complicated, yes, but it works.